Moving-sign device



G. E. MCMASTEH.

MOVING SIGN DEVICE. APPLICATIQN F1110 SEPT. 15, 1920.

Patented 111111,1921.

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UNITED STATES GEORGE E. MCMASTER,VQF BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

MOVING-SIGN DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

Application led September 15, 1920. Serial No. 410,383.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I," GEORGE E. McMas- 'rEn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bellingham, in the county of Whatcom and State of Washington, have invented anew and useful Moving-Sign Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in moving sign devicesof the sort which have both stationary and moving signs, the latter appearingand .pausing while covering some of the stationary signs, and then disappearing and pausing while covered by other stationary signs.

I have applied for a patent for an im proved moving sign device which was filed August 17, 1920, Serial No. 404,057 suitable for general purposes. I have also applied for a patent for an improvement of similar devices more especially of a decorative character, filed September 1, 1920, Serial No. 407,458. The object of this invention is to provide astructure and mechanism especially adapted for operating moving signs of large dimensions, even under diliicult outside conditions caused by storms and wind pressures, and-yet both simple and durable and dependable'in action. I attain this object with the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device, Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of each of three segmental bevel gears.

Similar characters refer tosimilar parts throughout. Certain parts are broken away for lack ofk space forthe illustration, or to show other parts hidden thereby.

More particularly: 4 is the base or back of the device to which the operative and protective parts are fastened. It is shown as of solid construction, but in practice I prefer to make it of anglebar construction with openings through which the interior is accessible.

5 is the cover and comprises a flat part with box-like sides fastened to back 4. 5a, 5b and 5c are three rectangular openings in the upper part of said cover in horizontal line. The part of cover 5 below said openings is used to mount one or more stationary signs, as shown at 100.

6 is a plane metal sheet fastened to and within cover 5 near and parallel with the f same and extending from the top downward to end below the openings 5a, 5l? and 5, and on 1t are mounted stationary signs 6, 6* and .6c respectively registering with said openings.

7, 8 and 9 are three sign carriers each adapted for mounting signs and each having fastened on its lower edge one of lugs 7a, 7b and 7c. respectively. 7b, 7"; 8b, 8b and 9", 9, respectively, are three pairs of tracks fastened to the inner side of cover 5, each pair to mount the wheels 7C, 8 and 9c, respectively, of sign carriers 7, 8 and 9.

10, 11 and 12 are three levers each having a slot, 10a, 11at and 12a, respectively, near its shorter end, and each fulcrumed on one of posts 13, 14 and 15 at 10", 11b and 12b respectively; 10, 11c and 12c are three links each connecting the longer end of one of levers 10, 11 and 12 to one of studs 7, 8a and 9a respectively, 10d, 11d and 121 are counterweights each fastened to the shorter end of one of levers 10, 11 and 12 respec tively.

Said posts 13, 14 and 15 are fastened to` base 4.v

16, 17 and 18 are three disks, each mounted for revolution on a stud in the outer end of one of posts 28, 29 and 30 respectively.

19, 20 and 21 are three crank pins, one in each ,of said disks, and one engaged in each of slots 10a, 11a and 12a respectively.

22, 23 and 24 are three spring pawls, each fastenedV to a'bracket on one of posts 28, 29 and 30, and having a V-form bit engaging in one of two V-form notches 25, 26 and 27 on the opposite ends of a diameter in the periphery of each of disks 16, 17 and 18 respectively. Only one of said two notches is shown in each disk, except in disk 16.

28, 29 andf30 are three posts fastened to base 4 and'mount'ing disks 16, 17 and 18 and pawls 22, 23 and 24, respectively, as stated.

31, 32 and 33 are three segmental bevel gears, each engageable with one of bevel gears 34, 35 and 36 respectively. Said gears 34, 35 and 36 are each fastened to one of disks 16, 17 and 18 respectively.l

37 is `a shaft mounted for revolution in bearings in posts A14, 15, 28, 29and 30, and it mounts fixed for revolution therewith segmental gears 31, 32 and 33, and also mounts on its right-hand end fixed bevel gear 38 meshed with bevel gear 39,

39 is a worm wheel mounted for revolution on a stud fastened in boss39", `which is fastened to base 4. Said worm wheel has fastened thereto bevel spur wheel 392L meshed with 38.

40 is an electric motor on bracket 40, which is fastened to base 4, Said motor is electrically connected to a source of electricity, neither said connections nor said source of power are shown.

41 is the shaft of said motor the outer end of which finds a bearing in a bracket on post 30 and mounts, fixed for revolution therewith, worm 42 in engagement with said worm wheel.

In operation: Motor 40, acting through reducing gears L12 39, 392L and 38 causes the continuous but slow revolution of shaft 37 and segmental gears 31, 32 and 33. There are only sufficient teeth on each of segmental gears 31, 32 and 33 to cause half a revolution in each of crank disks 16, 17 and 18 respectively. kSaid segmental gears are lixed on shaft 37 relatively as shown in Fig. 3. The teeth on each of said segmental gears occupy but three iifteenths of its circumference. Then the three acting in order revolve said disks in order with a pause between each sean-revolution of two thirds the time of said semi-revolution. The oint action then is to cause the movement of but one disk at a time while the othe1 disks are at rest and also a period of rest between each disk movement. Also the disk movements are slow. Each semi-revolution of a disk causes one of said sign carriers to move from one extreme position to the other, by the operation of the mechanism shown. The counterbalances on the shorter ends of levers 10, 11 and 12 compensate for the weight of the sign carriers on the longer ends of said levers, and the force required to move said sign carriers either up or down is substantially equal. v

ylfhe eXtreme positions of said carriers are indicated either in full or dotted lines in Fig. 1. T he illustrated position of the movable parts assumes that the action of motor Il0 has caused segmental gear 31 to turn disk 16 through a semi-revolution, moving` sign carrier 7 from its dotted position at 7', behind the lower part of cover 5, to its fullline position at 7, where it is exposed and also covers fixed sign 6a. rl`he absence of teeth on any of said segmental gears for 180 then allows each of the disks to remain stationary, which condition is made doubly sure by the engagement of the V- form bits of the spring pawls inthe V- form notches in the disks. As illustrated, the period of pause of said disks comes at times when their crank pins have carried levers 10, 11 and 12 into positions where slots 10a, 11a and 12a are each substantially at right angles to a disk radius through said pins, when pressure from said levers on said pins can not operate to revolve said disk. After the said 48o has been turned by shaft 37 segmental gear 32 is brought into engagement with gear 35 on disk 17 and said disk is turned, forcing the bit of pawl 23 out of engagement with one of notches 2G in said disk, and swinging lever 11 on its fulcrum at 11b, through its dottedline arcs, causing ysign carrier 8 to move from its full-line position to its dottedline position at 8 in Fig. 1, moving it from a covered position behind cover 5 to an eX- posed position above where it covers tiXed sign Gb. Then there is a pause in all sign movements, while shaft 37 turns through another arc of 413, when segmental gear 33 engages with gear -36 causing `disk 18 to turn through a semierevolution and, through the operation of crank 21, lever 12 turns on fulcrum 12", through its dottedline arcs, moving sign carrier 9 from its full-line position behind cover 5 to its doted-line position at 9 where it is exposed and covers fixed sign G". Then a period of pa se occurs in the three movable signs while shaft 37 revolves through another arcl of 13 when segmental geark 3l engages with gear 3d and sign carrier 7 is returned to its dotted-line position behind cover 5 and stationary sign (it is again exposer. Thus the movements of the sign carriers continue in regular order with pauses between.

ll`he slow upward movement of the sign carriers affords opportunity to read each 'sign as fast as it appears, while the slow downward movement of said vcarriers affords opportunity to read the stationary signs, alternately covered by said sign carriers, as fast as they 'are exposed.

rlhe simple and reliable character of the mechanism shown, together with the roller mounting of the sign carriers, insure continuity of operation even against considerable opposition from wind pressure and the like.

@ne of several methods may be used to fasten signs to the sign carriers and to cover o: rl`he edges of the sign carriers may be bent up and over to form a retaining frame for cards, cards or paper on which the signs are depicted may be pasted on said carriers and on said cover, also said signs may be painted directly on the surfaces of said car- 2. In a moving sign device in combination, a sign carrier, adapted for mounting a sign, means for mounting said carrier for forth and back movements, a fulcrumed lever one end of which is connected to said carrier and the other end connected to a crank, said crank mounted for rotation, a gear fixed concentric to said crank, a segmental gear mounted for rotation and engageable with said crank gear during a onehalf revolution only of said crank for one entire revolution of said segmental gear, and means to continuously revolve said segmental gear.

3. In a moving sign device in combination, a plurality of stationary signs, a plurality of sign carriers each adapted for mounting a sign and each movable forth and back to cover or expose one of said station"` ary signs and to be covered by another one of said stationary signs or to pass from behind a cover, means for mounting said sign carriers for forth and back movements, a plurality of fulcrumed leverseach having one end connected to one of said sign carriers and its other end connected to a crank, a plurality of cranks each mounted for rotation, a plurality of gears each fixed concentric to one of said cranks, a plurality of segmental gears mounted for rotation each engageable with one of said crank gears during a one-half revolution only of said crank gear for one entire revolution of said segmental gear, and means to slowly and continuously f revolve said segmental gears.

4. In a moving sign device in combination, a plurality of stationary signs, a sign carrier adapted to mount a sign movable forth and back to cover and uncover one of said stationary signs and to pass behind and from behind another of said stationary signs, a disk mounted for revolution and having a crank pin and two diametrical, peripheral notches, a fulcrumed lever connected to said sign carrier and having a slideway engaged with said crank pin, a pawl having a V- form bit engageable with each of said peripheral notches, and means to cause said disk to alternately revolve through a onehalf revolution, only, and pause when said lever is substantially at right angles with a disk radius through said crank pin and when said pawl engages one of said notches.

5. In a moving sign device in combination, a plurality of stationary signs, a sign carrier adapted to mount a sign movable forth and back to cover and uncover one of said stationary signs and to pass behind and from behind another of said stationary signs, a disk mounted for revolution and having a crank pin and two diametrital, peripheral notches, a fulcrumed lever connected to said sign carrier and having a slideway engaged with said crank pin, a pawl having a V-form bit engageable with each of said notches, a gear fixed concentric to said disk, a segmental gear mounted for revolution engageable with said disk gear for only one half revolution of said disk for each entire revolution of said segmental gear, said semi-revolutions of said disk gear beginning and ending when said lever is substantially at right angles with a disk radius through said crank pin and when said pawl is engaged with one of said notches, and means to slowly and continuously revolve said segmental gear.

6. In a moving sign device in combination, a plurality of stationary signs; a plurality of sign carriers, each adapted to mount a sign and each movable forthv and back to cover or expose one of said stationary signs and to pass behind and from behind another of said stationary signs; a pair of tracks for each sign carrier; a set of wheels fastened to each of said carriers operable on said tracks; a plurality of fulcrumed levers, each having one end connected to one of said sign carriers and its other end slidably connected to a crank pin; a plurality of crank disks, each having a crank pin engaged with one of a plurality of lever slideways and each also having two peripheral, diametrical notches; a plurality of spring pawls, each having a V-form bit engageable with each of said notches; a plurality of gears each fixed concentric to one of said disks, a plurality of segmental gears mounted fixed for rotation on and with a mounted revoluble shaft, and each engageable with one of said disk gears for onehalf revolution only of said disk gear during each entire revolution of said segmental gear; and means to slowly and continuously revolve said segmental gear shaft.

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